Imprison Me
by LitLover 101
Summary: Lizzie makes a difficult decision, to enter a Prison World. Will Josie accept her twin's choice? Set sometime in the yet-to-come S2 of Legacies. #SaltzmanTwinFic Ft. Hope's Super Squad, Ric, Ryan Clarke, and Satan (or Penelope Park).


Lizzie makes a difficult decision, to enter a Prison World. Will Josie accept her twin's choice? Set sometime in the yet-to-come S2 of _Legacies_. #SaltzmanTwinFic

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Legacies**_** that would be the CW, Julie Plec, and the usual suspects. **

**Hello, my lovely readers. This fic is very much about what the twins will do for each other and presumes the twins know about Prison Worlds. On with the show…**

_**Imprison Me: **_

A throbbing pain filled Lizzie Saltzman's head as she sat, taking slow, deep breaths. No. Nothing she'd seen in the last twenty-four hours made any sense to her. Shaking her head, she felt burning wetness under her lids and she gritted her teeth, trying to stop herself from allowing the grief to suffocate her. But she was losing the battle, her fingernails making a new pattern in her chair.

Having had enough, Lizzie stomped her way out of her bedroom and went in search of her dad. She knew what to do to stop this.

**Twenty-Four Hours Ago: **

"Hi," Hope Mikaelson gave the assembled group in the school cafeteria a quick wave. It was way past dinner time. No one else sat at the tables. Just Lizzie's group—or Hope's group—if, the stranger in their midst was to be believed. "So, you're probably all wondering why I asked you all to come here?" Hope said, clasping her hands together.

"Yeah," Lizzie replied. "I had planned a manicure, but, apparently you're the…boss?" Lizzie's eyebrows rose. "I still don't know who died and made you into the queen of the school?" Shaking her head, she tossed her blonde locks over her shoulder. Everyone knew the tale of Klaus Mikaelson. Big Bad, for over a thousand years who chose to take his own life to save lots of people, but no one really knew why. Well, until Hope popped out of nowhere with an odd tale to tell.

Caroline, Lizzie's mom, believed Hope and told Ric to give the girl room and board at the school. However, Lizzie thought the girl might still turn out to be a mind-wiping monster, or a body-snatcher, or something else gross, like a giant snake who could transform into a relatively pretty girl. Sneering at Hope, Lizzie turned to watch Raphael Waithe and Landon Kirby hang on Hope's every word.

Since Hope helped turn Raf back into a human boy, he seemed to be an all love-struck-pile-of-goop and it made Lizzie's gag reflex go into over drive and Landon's mopey-mop-headed body seemed to turn like the needle on a compass whenever Hope was in the room.

Hell, even Josie, Lizzie's twin had fallen under the thrall of Hope. Jo would sit, her chin on her hand, listening to Hope's tales of monster-fighting with Landon's absentee mom and repellent, mud brother, Ryan. Although Lizzie kind of liked Ryan's accent.

Smirking at Lizzie, like he could hear her thinking about him, Ryan leaned a little closer and Lizzie scoffed before turning her back on him. Alaric Saltzman, Lizzie's father, had told Dr. V, their new headmaster, that allowing Ryan Clarke to teach at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted was a huge mistake, but Dr. V thought that they could not do better in finding someone like Clarke to help them fight The Triad.

Ryan slipped into a chair beside Lizzie and leaned his elbows on the table. "Come, tell us, Hope, what is it?" Ryan smirk's widened and Hope turned to glower at him.

"Why are you here?" Hope demanded.

Hope and Ryan still did not get along.

Ryan shrugged. "Nothing on TV."

Landon glared at his brother. "You tried to kill me," he snapped. "That I remember. Sort of."

Jumping in, Hope leaned over the table. "And that's why you're all here. I know none of you remember me…" She took a second for dramatic pause before smiling. "But I figured out how to help you. If you'll let me."

"Okay…" Raf said, looking at the others. "What do you need from us?"

"Well, Raf. You have something I gave you," Hope said, nodding at a ring that Raf had clutched in his hand. "And, Jo, your necklace."

Josie's hand went to a necklace she'd told Lizzie she didn't remember someone giving her, but she felt like she could not take it off. "You gave this to me?" Josie asked, a hitch in her voice.

Hope nodded. "For your birthday. Your mom… Well, it was to make quiet things heard."

"Oh?" Josie smiled widely. "That makes sense."

Looking at Landon, Hope said. "I gave you a bracelet. To help me find you, if you were ever in trouble."

Landon nodded and help up his wrist. "This? I thought it wasn't really my style."

Smirking, Hope looked at the others. "I would have given the rest of you gifts; if I hadn't…"

"Killed yourself?" Ryan inquired.

Letting out a sigh, Hope's grin turned to a low snarl. "Yes." Her eyes went from Lizzie, to MG, to Kaleb, to Jed and Pedro. "I can still help you remember. You'll just need to allow yourselves to be open to it."

"Ready. Willing and able," MG said cheerfully. "What do we have to do?"

"Just hold still," Hope said. "Give me your hands." MG held out his hands. Hope took his hands. "I'm going to enter your mind…now…" MG's brows rose and he let out a chuckle. There was a happy smile on Hope's face. Their expressions went through an array and Lizzie reached over, touching MG's hand. Suddenly she found herself pulled into a memory of a guy who needed a serious facial.

"Necromancer," Lizzie breathed as Josie took her hand and then they were pulled back into a memory of Dana and a big pile of goo. "Oh, ew!" Lizzie cried. She pulled her hand back and shook her head. "I don't want to remember that."

"Sorry," Hope said, one eye opening.

"Is that it?" MG asked.

"No," Hope said. She closed both eyes.

It took another three hours to go through each of their other memories of Hope. Some were easier, because of her mementos to them, while others took a little longer. Lizzie was at the end. She knew there would be unpleasant things. She did not want to remember all of them.

"Are you ready?" Hope asked. She held out her hands and Lizzie faced the older girl, and forced a quick jerk of her head—she was many things—a coward was not one of them.

Visions of a little red-headed girl filled Lizzie's mind. "Hope Mikaelson, these are my girls, Lizzie and Josie Saltzman," Caroline said, and Lizzie waved to the other girl who nodded back at her.

Hope stood beside Lizzie. "Let's skip forward a little bit. There's a lot to cover. And we weren't always friends. But I want you to see, that you are one my closest friends, now." They skipped forward to one of Lizzie's episodes. "…She wants to separate us," she yelled at Hope.

"What can I do?" Hope asked, her own voice filled with worry and panic.

Tears filled Lizzie's eyes and she came out of the trance. "No. I can't…" she cried, shaking her head.

"Lizzie?" Josie placed a hand on Lizzie's knee. "Are you okay?"

Still shaking her head, Lizzie sat back against the chair, trembling. "I don't want to remember," she told Hope miserably.

"It's okay. You don't have to remember everything all at once," Hope said, taking Lizzie's hand.

Gasping, Lizzie found she was standing in front of her father. "You didn't mean to do it, Lizzie…"

"What?" Lizzie cried.

An image of Penelope's pained face felt glued to the inside of Lizzie's mind and Lizzie shuddered before she opened her eyes. "What was that?"

Hope frowned deeply. "I don't know. It didn't look. I…"

"What happened?" Landon and Josie asked. Landon came over to sit beside Hope and the boy peered at Lizzie with concern. Even Ryan seemed intrigued as he sat up a little straighter and eyed Lizzie.

"I need. To go." Lizzie pushed herself to her shaking legs.

"Okay," Hope said.

Josie placed an arm around Lizzie's waist but Lizzie tugged away. "I'm sorry, Jo. I need. I want to be alone right now." Tears in her eyes, Lizzie pushed past Raphael and hurried out of the room. She did not make eye contact with anyone until she got to her room and then she slammed the door closed with a wave of her hand.

Her entire body was shaking when Lizzie went to bed that night. She dreamed of a blue genie who said she was a J-i-n-n. It sounded the same to Lizzie. Lizzie wished Hope away, again, and again, and again. And then Jo died. Lizzie. She'd killed her sister. Because of The Merge.

Waking up the next day, Lizzie found her bedclothes were wet with sweat. Jo had left already. She was still shaking as she showered and dressed for classes. Her fingers shook as she took her pills and gulped down a glass of water.

Lizzie's hands trembled on her desktop and nothing anyone said to Lizzie made sense to her. "Lizzie, are you okay?" Landon asked. He sat at the desk in front of her, in Ryan's class on Triad.

"I'm fine," Lizzie said.

"No mean retort," Landon said to Hope. "Something's off."

"No talking during the lecture," Ryan called to Landon and Hope, wagging a finger at them.

During Dr. V's class, Kaleb was called on to show what to do if attacked by a member of the Triad and Lizzie watched with no sense of amusement as Kaleb threw MG on top of a table and restrained the smaller vampire by tying his ankles and feet together with a shoelace. Dr. V clapped at the performance and called on Hope to show what a witch should do. This involved Landon being incapable of speaking and then falling to the floor, unconscious. Again, Lizzie felt nothing.

After classes, Lizzie caught up to Hope. "Can you help me remember something I dreamed?"

Hope nodded. "I can try."

They went back to Hope's bedroom and sat down on the bed. Hope took Lizzie's hand and Lizzie took a deep breath. When the memories flooded her, Lizzie got up and ran from the room. She stopped in her own room and began to shake her head. None of it made sense. How could she? No. Lizzie couldn't hurt Jo.

~0~

"Dad?" Lizzie called, knocking on her dad's door and then stepping inside, she found Hope already there. "You told him?" She already knew from the look that Hope traded with her dad. Now that Lizzie remembered how close the two were; she felt little shock.

Folding her arms over her chest, Lizzie inhaled. "I need you to lock me up."

"You want me to do what?" Alaric said, falling into his seat.

"I'm going to kill Jo. So, you need to lock me up before I become Lizzie Bordon."

"She killed her parents," Hope pointed out.

"Whatever," Lizzie sighed. "I don't need a lecture. All I want is a little time off. Just send me away until after this whole Merge thing is no longer an issue. I'll get to stay young, and pretty. No big deal. It's really a bonus. Maybe a few years on my own; I'll come back a little less broken."

"Lizzie, you have no idea what you're asking me to do," Alaric said, quietly. Lizzie saw the pain on her dad's face and she felt it cutting through her own heart. "Honey…"

"This is what I want, Dad," Lizzie said firmly. "Hope. You're a super-witch. Just build an ascendant and send me away."

"Lizzie…" Hope's voice came out quietly and she shook her head.

Jutting her chin out, Lizzie let out a huff. "If you won't, I will." She turned her back on them and walked out of the room.

~0~

Josie stood on the other side of the hall. No one could see her. Even Lizzie had stalked right past her and had not even sensed her sister, right there. "No," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "No." Her worst fear was coming true. Yes. They were co-dependent and Josie wanted her own life, but not like this. Never like this.

Josie entered her dad's office. "Dad," she appeared to Alaric and Hope. Alaric blinked at the sudden appearance of his other twin. "You can't do this."

"Josie," Hope began when Josie held up a hand.

"No! This is not happening. You are not helping her. Josie shook her head. "I can protect myself. And if you have to send one us away; if should be me. I can take care of myself. Lizzie wouldn't…Lizzie can't handle the loneliness."

"You shouldn't have to," Hope told Josie.

Josie folded her arms over her chest. "It's not up to you. This is about me and my sister."

Hope looked like Josie had slapped her and Josie felt guilty but she had to protect Lizzie, from herself.

"I am not sending either of you to a Prison World," Alaric told Josie, getting up and placing his hands on the desktop.

"Well, you don't have a choice," Josie said. "You can do it; or I will." She heard Lizzie saying the same thing and turned, just like her twin and stomped out of the office.

~0~

"Too bad Malivore isn't still open. We could toss Josie in there," Ryan told the group.

Hope glowered at Ryan. "That is not helping.

"I'm not sure he's said a single helpful thing since he's arrived here," Lizzie said. "I say turn him back in and demand a full refund from the hell god who spawned him."

"Again: Malivore," Ryan stated, leaning over Lizzie's chair and grinning at her.

Lizzie placed a hand on Ryan's face and shoved him back. "Back off, Mud Man!"

Landon sighed. "I don't know what to tell you. I've gone over the little bit of research the school has on Prison Worlds, and this is not what you'd call dream-vacation material."

Rolling her eyes, Lizzie shook her head. "No one asked you," she retorted.

Landon looked at Hope. "You're really planning on doing this behind Dr. Saltzman's back?"

Hope nodded. "It's Lizzie's right to make a choice about her life. And if it means we can keep both of the twins, what choice do we have? We can't let them kill each other."

"You could," Ryan said, placing his hands on Lizzie's shoulders. "Any preferences on which one and do I get a vote?"

"No!" everyone in the room shouted.

Slapping Ryan's hands off her, Lizzie stood up. "We'll do this next week. Before sunrise. Everyone can wake up and think I ran away. I'll show back up, a couple of years later and say I fell down a well and into an alternate universe, fought some demons, learned some moral lessons and fell in love with a handsome stranger."

"Or stay here. Do all of that. And Josie can go," Ryan said.

"Shut up!" MG snapped. "Can't you find a Mud Girl to hit on?"

Ryan shrugged. "I prefer witches."

"Ugh!" Lizzie wrinkled her nose and then turned back to Hope. "Deal?" She held out a hand.

"Deal," Hope shook Lizzie's hand.

Now, all Lizzie had to do was wait.

~0~

Lizzie partied like she'd never partied before. She laughed like it was her last night on earth, for seven days. She and Jo spent every say, talking about the future and Lizzie even found a number for Penelope and asked Pen to call Jo. Sitting outside their room, Lizzie listened to the happy tone in her sister's voice as she talked to her ex and Lizzie wiped tears off her cheeks. Lizzie was smiling.

~0~

Darkness loomed overhead as Lizzie turned her blue eyes up to the sky. She inhaled and looked at her friends. They were standing in a circle, surrounding her and Hope. Hope held a newly-formed ascendant and her eyes were on the sky, too. They were waiting for a phenomenon to happen. Apparently that was the big catch.

"Are you sure Ric's not going to lose it?" Landon asked Hope.

Landon had his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his expression making Lizzie groan. "It's like we have a choice, Mop Head." But her words did not have their usual sting since Landon's lips quirked up in a smile. "I'm going to miss all of you guys," Lizzie told them.

Hope's eyes went back to the sky. "Ric will just have to understand that this is Lizzie's decision." As she spoke, a star winked in and then out again. "Right," Hope said as the star gave another, lackluster twinkle. "Go time." Her eyes closed and she began to chant.

Inhaling, Lizzie joined Hope, taking the other girl's hand.

"Wait!" a new voice shouted.

Lizzie's eyes flew open and she gaped at Josie. Jo ran toward them, stopping in front of Lizzie. "You can't leave yet," Jo said, taking hold of Lizzie's free hand.

"Jo, you shouldn't be here," Lizzie said. She felt like crying, again.

"You're not doing this without my being here. We were together coming into this world, you're not leaving without me being there," Jo stated, firmly.

Nodding, Lizzie squeezed Hope's and Jo's hands. "Okay. I'm ready," she said.

Hope began to chant again and Lizzie waited. Darkness consumed her senses and she felt something…

~0~

Eyes snapping open, Lizzie sat up in bed and she looked around herself. "What?" NO!" she cried, seeing her desk, her bed, all of her things, just where she'd left them the day before. "NO! NO! NO!" Pushing her legs over the side of the bed, Lizzie ran for the door. "Hope!" she shouted, ready to rip the older witch a new hole.

Tearing the door to her bedroom open, Lizzie came face-to-face with her father. His eyes were dark and he held out his arms. "Liz…"

"Daddy?" Lizzie felt her lower lip wobble as she fell into her father's arms. "What happened?"

~0~

Hope let out a cough and she stood in the middle in the library while the rest of the group sat, some crying, while others held on tight to those they cared for. "Dear, friends." Hope stopped talking and placed a hand to her mouth. She shook her head.

Raphael got up and took the note. Hope took a seat and buried her face in Landon's shirt, sobbing. Taking a breath, Raphael looked at Lizzie who nodded with a quick jerk of her head.

"Dear friends, if you are hearing this, it means my plan worked out. As many of you know—I have a co-dependent relationship with my twin sister, Lizzie—I guess we won't really be twins after this—not in the traditional sense. Even though we won't be twins anymore, we will always have a special bond and Lizzie would do this for me; if I let her." Pausing, Raphael seemed to choke up and Landon moved to take the note and continued. "I hope you can see me smiling as I write to all of you. I am not sad, or angry, or afraid. I am happy. I am happy to know that I will see you all again. Please, don't grieve my absence. I love all of you. Josie Saltzman." Folding the note, Landon walked over to Lizzie and placed it in her hand.

Pressing her face into her father's shoulder, Lizzie wept for her sister's sacrifice.

**One Year Later: **

"It's go time." Lizzie said cheerfully as she took hold of the ascendant and looked around at her group of friends.

"Are you sure about this?" MG asked, taking hold of Lizzie's hand and squeezing it tightly in his own.

"I'll be back. Can't keep a good witch down." Lizzie leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to MG's lips.

MG leaned back and blew out a slow breath. "I've waited for years for you to kiss me. And you pick now?" He shook his head. "You are a cruel girl, Elizabeth Saltzman. He smiled as he spoke and Lizzie laughed, hugging him with one arm.

"Bye," Lizzie called to everyone as the star overhead winked in and out and Hope began to chant.

~0~

At first Lizzie thought nothing had happened and then she realized it was snowing. And she was freezing. "Oh, shit," she cried, laughing as flakes dotted her hair and she lifted her face to catch a flake on the tip of her tongue.

Twirling, Lizzie caught sight of a snowman. "Jo," she whispered, and then made a run for the front doors of the school. She opened them with a wave of her hand and then raced inside, her heart pounding in her chest.

Lizzie turned and moved to the Great Room. Josie sat, curled up in a chair, her hair pulled up and her nose stuck in a book. "Jo!" Lizzie shouted, causing her sister to throw the book on the floor and to gape at her twin. "Hi!"

"Lizzie!" Josie leapt out of the chair and went running to Lizzie. "Did Mom find a way to stop The Merge?" Jo asked, pulling back.

Shaking her head, Lizzie smiled. "Nope. But it's my turn."

"Your turn?" Jo looked confused.

"Yup. And I brought someone with me. She's outside. Waiting to bring you home." Lizzie walked with Jo to the front door.

Penelope stood, shivering and rubbing her arms. "Hey, Jo!" she called.

Josie turned to Lizzie. "Lizzie…" She shook her head. "You can't stay here."

Lizzie shrugged. "I'll find things to do. Maybe I'll even change my hair. Or read some of those old books you like so much. Let's call it 'me time.' Now, go get your girl!" Lizzie swatted her twin on the rear and laughed as Jo ran into Penelope's arms. "Don't forget, Jo, this is my year. We rotate."

Jo nodded, clutching Penelope's hand. "I love you," Josie said as Penelope held onto the ascendant with her free hand and nodded at Lizzie.

"Love you, too." Lizzie blew a kiss to her sister. Turning, she went back inside the boarding school. "Home, sweet hell. Well, let's see what kind of self-improvement I can work while I'm stuck here." Grinning, Lizzie went and claimed Jo's chair, picked up the book and began to read.

The End

**Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing. **

**Peace,**

**-J**


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